Benefits of Psychobiography Training to the Professional and Personal Development of Psychology Graduate Students

Authors

Joseph G. Ponterotto, Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University – Lincoln Center, New York, USAFollow
Dinesh Sharma, Department of Psychology and Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University - Lincoln Center, New York USAFollow
Yuki Yamazaki, Division of Psychological and Educational Services, Fordham University – Lincoln Center, New York, USAFollow

Abstract

In recent decades, psychobiography has witnessed a resurgence of activity and publication across many subdisciplines in psychology internationally. One area of recent research has been to evaluate the benefits of training in psychobiography to students’ professional development as perceived by professors and mentors in psychobiography. The present study extends this recent line of research by surveying the perceived impacts of psychobiography training among doctoral students in applied psychology. Twenty-five doctoral students who completed training and research in psychobiography in a summer course over three consecutive years, responded to an open-ended (free response) survey on the impact of conducting psychobiographies on their professional and personal development. Incorporating the methods of reflexive theme analysis and directed qualitative content analysis, results supported prior research that sampled professors. More specifically, student respondents documented the benefits of integrating psychobiography into their curriculum along four major areas: clinical skill development as practitioners; enhanced sense of professional identity as developing psychologists; increases in personal awareness and development; and learning and processing issues of countertransference toward their chosen psychobiographical subjects. Limitations of the study along with directions for further research and curriculum development are presented.

Keywords

psychobiography, psychology curriculum, cultural diversity, reflexive theme analysis, directed qualitative content analysis

Author Bio(s)

Joseph G. Ponterotto, Ph.D. is a Professor of Counseling Psychology in Fordham University's Graduate School of Education (New York City). His primary research interests are in psychobiography, multicultural psychology, and research methods. His latest book is "The Psychobiographer's Handbook: A Practical Guide to Research and Ethics" (2025, American Psychological Association). Please direct correspondence to Ponterotto@Fordham.edu

Dinesh J. Sharma, Ph.D. is a Director, Chief Research Officer at Steam Works Studio, Princeton, NJ, and a contributing faculty member at Fordham University; his book “Barack Obama in Hawaii and Indonesia” was a top 10 Black history book. His latest book is “Biography and Psychology” (2024, Oxford University Press).

Yuki Yamazaki, Ph.D. is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology in Fordham University's Graduate School of Education (New York City) and a practicing clinician. Her research specialties are in the areas of Asian and Multiracial American mental health. Her teaching areas include clinical practice, supervision, and history of psychology.

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the following student respondents who participated in the member checking and who agreed to have their names printed here: Brittney Romagna, Patsy Scognamillo, Ilana Ander, Brittney Sy, Jae Shin, Sarah Kinane, Paige Guarino, Rimah Jaber, Emily Olmsted, Dory Polovsky, Eitan Zecher, Eileen Linzer, Martin Ljekocevic, and Daniel Collins.

Publication Date

3-28-2025

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2025.7207

Recommended APA Citation

Ponterotto, J. G., Sharma, D., & Yamazaki, Y. (2025). Benefits of psychobiography training to the professional and personal development of psychology graduate students. The Qualitative Report, 30(3), 3371-3405. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2025.7207

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8656-2033